CHRISTIAN PROVENZANO
Santal Indien EXTRAIT
2023
PERFUMER
Christian Provenzano
bergamot
saffron
neroli
orange blossom
amber
vetiver
tonka bean
cedarwood
vanilla
sandalwood
musk
This is the 2023 Extrait version of Santal Indien (2020). And finally, my chance to try Provenzano’s work for his own CP brand. Provenzano has been one of the best (and busiest) perfumers in recent years, with my favorites being Boadicea Blue Sapphire & Electimuss Pomona Vitalis. But even for a more affordable (and in my experience, mostly derivative) brand like Spirit Of Kings, the talent Provenzano has for immaculate blending is clear. I’ve always heard good things about the quality of CP Parfums, so I was excited to dive in.
And what better way than with a sandalwood fragrance. A note that is beloved by many, including me, but rarely faithful to the actual scent of sandalwood. And I’m often a bit underwhelmed by sandalwood-focused fragrances. Here, I am not.
It has the lactonic,smooth facets, but also the more woody, slightly spicy and camphorous side of the sandalwood. And less of the sugary and honeyed emphasis that a lot of sandalwood alternative ingredients bring to the table.
Santal Indien is subtle and wears smooth and softly, but up close, you get a distinct Eastern accent to it, with saffron up front. On the other hand there is the slightest citrussy hint that I only get when I smell my skin directly.
The wood feels almost clean. Cedarwood is also listed in the notes and the overall experience ends somewhere in between the cleaner, fresher cedarwood and the usual sweet sandalwood.
Don’t get me wrong; Santal Indien does get quite sweet as it dries, with a vanilla creaminess added to the woods. But it feels like it’s a combination of wood and vanilla, not one sugary sweet accord. And again, it’s subtle. This feels like an understated, relaxing type of fragrance and that’s everything I would want from a sandalwood. I can see it being underwhelming to some, but I think it will appeal to sandalwood lovers.
Up there with my favorite woody fragrance that I’ve tried. Santal Indien goes somewhere on my wishlist.